Youth symphony, a choir cooperative event, and a performing arts center all in the mix
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This is the year of the arts in Howard County. At least, that’s how the Kokomo Symphony sees it. This winter will feature some wonderful performances, and it also stands to be a significant moment in the history of the arts in the local community.
According to symphony director of development Jennifer Rollins, the symphony’s youth program is already underway, but there are still opportunities for kids who would like to learn to play in an orchestra.
“Our youth program has already started, but students are welcome to still join,” said Rollins. “It is held on Sundays at Grace United Methodist Church, and we have strings instruction for violin, viola, and cello.
“It's from 4:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. if you're beginning strings. If you're intermediate, it's from 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. And we have our advanced class, which is our youth orchestra, that's from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. each Sunday.”
The four-month program costs $75 for beginners and intermediate players, and $100 to participate in the youth orchestra. Rollins said the goal is to train players with an eye toward group performances.
“We usually have our intermediate kids and our youth orchestra perform during the holidays,” said Rollins. “In December, we had them do a concert. And sometimes we'll have the beginning students there as well.
“They'll do another performance in May with all groups; the beginning, intermediate, and youth orchestra will perform. And parents can come to peek in on the kids to follow how they're doing.”
The Kokomo Symphony will hold a concert of its own on March 1, and the organization is trying to accomplish something special. Rollins explained that the symphony is trying to collaborate with church choirs to perform alongside them.
“Our March concert is called ‘The Harmony of Heritage,’” said Rollins. “It is a celebration of Black music and history. So, we're trying to find some choirs to perform. And we’re including anyone who would like to join us who might not be a part of those church choirs.
“Just contact us, and we will hook you up so to rehearse with one of those choirs. We're just looking for individuals who might want to sing with us at the concert on March 1 at Havens Auditorium.”
Those interested in participating in the choir at the March 1 concert, should email Rollins at kokomosymphony@sbcglobal.net or by calling the 765-236-0251. Sponsors for this event are also welcome and can learn more through these contacts.
While the kids receive top-notch instruction, and the Symphony relishes performing at Havens Auditorium, Grace UMC, and other locations, having a top-notch venue of their own for performances is a dream yet to be fulfilled. There is an effort underway to address that, as the recently formed Kokomo Area Performing Arts League (KAPAL) is polling the community on how it sees the arts and whether it would support the construction of a performing arts center.
“KAPAL is the Kokomo Symphony, Kokomo Civic Theater, the Kokomo Park Band, and Kokomo Curtain Call Theater for Children,” said Rollins. “We meet regularly to try to collaborate We help each other promote our organizations.”
Working together, KAPAL obtained a grant from the Community Foundation of Howard County to get the effort started, and then reached out to Steven Ray, executive director of the North Central Indiana Regional Planning Council, which provided grant assistance. The organization’s mission was well received.
“We want a performing arts center for Kokomo,” said Rollins. “We explained our need and why we wanted this, and the benefit that the community would have. Now, the Planning Council is trying to prepare an arts and culture initiative that will help the five counties in its region.
“But they need backing behind it. They need to know what the community thinks is needed. So, we've hired a consultant, and she is doing the surveys. We now have a website where you can go out and fill out that survey to say what you feel is needed in the city, from an arts and cultural perspective.”
KAPAL wants as many people to respond to the survey as possible. To that end, the member organizations have sent out emails with the survey link, but everyone is encouraged to participate. The survey can be found www.northcentralarts.com.
“We feel like that performing arts center would be huge for our area,” said Rollins. “It would be a facility that would be available to all four of our organizations. We fight for time at places like IU Kokomo and other places, and we pay for those performances.
“If we had a performing arts center, that would be where we perform, and we wouldn't have to pay every time we're doing that. So, there is the survey. There also are focus groups you can join to give your input. All of that will help us get to the end goal, showing why we need a performing arts center in Howard County.”